COCAINE SNORTING LIVERPOOL DRIVER JAILED FOR RUNNING OVER PENSIONER

A taxi driver who killed a Liverpool pensioner while under the influence of cocaine has been jailed. According to the Liverpool Echo, tests found Paul Morrison still had metabolites linked to the Class A drug in his system when he crashed into Andrew Oakden.

The 43-year-old then audaciously claimed the victim had stepped out in front of his car - when he is actually thought to have been within steps of completing his road crossing.

Mr Oakden had just left the Gateacre Institute when he was struck on Grange Lane at around 11.30pm on Saturday February 18, 2017. The 89-year-old died as a result of his injuries the following day.

Liverpool Crown Court heard evidence suggested Morrison had been driving at up to 37mph in the 30mph zone just before the crash. A crash scene investigator described conditions as “cold, clear and dry, with good visibility”.

In the aftermath of the collision Morrison claimed he had only been driving at 25mph and said: “He just walked out in front of me” and “I tried to stop to avoid him and I just heard a bang. I didn’t see him whatsoever.”

Dash cam footage and investigations at the scene of the crash later proved his claims wrong.

Tests later found Morrison was three times over the legal limit for the main metabolite of cocaine, Benzoylecgonine. The court heard he had taken around half a gram of cocaine in the early hours of that Saturday morning and that, while the cocaine had left his system, he was still under the influence of the metabolite.

Having initially denied causing death by careless driving while above the limit for controlled drugs, Morrison then changed his plea last month.

Listening from the dock he sat in silence as he heard the case against him set out.

David Birrell, defending, said Morrison was genuinely remorseful for his actions.

Judge Conrad jailed Morrison for four years and four months and he was also disqualified from driving for 62 months.